


Take Care of Yourself

by Whoknows138



Category: The Hollow (Cartoon)
Genre: A take on the aftermath of Season 2 but with Reekai because I'm sad, Coping, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Grief/Mourning, Homophobia, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Netflix is a coward, Racism, Redemption, The fandom may be kind of dead but my love for this show sure isn't, Transphobia, Unrequited Love, toxic parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29123184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whoknows138/pseuds/Whoknows138
Summary: Reeve didn’t expect a lot of things to happen in his now-digital-life. He didn’t expect to lose The Hollow, he didn’t expect to become a digital clone in The Hollow Life….…and he didn’t expect to get a call tonight at 1:00 AM.“What I’m about to ask of you, you have to keep to yourself ok?”“…Kai? What happened?”
Relationships: Iris/Nisha (The Hollow), Kai/Reeve (The Hollow), Onesided Adam/Reeve (The Hollow)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue: The Call

**Author's Note:**

> This is purely self-indulgent and just me trying to experiment and be more diverse with my word choices in writing. Enjoy! Or not! Just yeah, go ahead and have this!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reeve gets a phone call at 1:00 AM

Reeve didn’t expect a lot of things to happen in his now-digital-life. He didn’t expect to lose The Hollow, he didn’t expect to become a digital clone in The Hollow Life….

…and he didn’t expect to get a call tonight at 1:00 AM.

Groggily, Reeve rubbed his eyes of the sand that had formed from his oh so restful slumber. He wanted nothing more than to slam his head back onto his malleable pillow and call it a night once more; ignoring whoever thought it was a good idea to contact him this damn late.

But he always set his phone to receive emergency calls only before he called it a night, so that meant only one thing. Whoever was calling him was in some tough luck.

He reached for the vibrating phone, and lazily slid it across his nightstand, towards himself. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light the screen emitted.

…Much to his shock, the person calling him was none other than “Pyro-Nerd.” AKA, Kai.

Reeve would’ve much more expected “Johnny Karate,” or “Ariel,” or “Lesbean” to have called him at this hour for some sort of emergency. Reeve would’ve expected Kai to call Adam, or Mira, or Vanessa for whatever problem he supposedly had. Him and Kai were simply way closer to those three than they were to each other.

But here was Reeve’s phone, displaying the icon Reeve gave Kai’s contact: a picture of Kai with chopsticks for walrus teeth that he couldn’t help but sneak a pic at.

Reeve let out a small sigh. Alright! This is odd but whatever! He tried to wave away his apprehension as he pressed the accept call button, but he just couldn’t. He had a bad feeling about this. Something was very, _very_ wrong if Kai was calling _him_ out of the entire friend group at this hour.

His dread was proven to be valid as he pressed the speakerphone button, and was greeted with these words:

“What I’m about to ask of you, you have to keep to _yourself_ ok?”

Kai’s tone sounded uncharacteristically low. His voice was slightly shaky; almost like the pyrokinetic was beyond distressed, and trying to keep it under control.

It set off all sorts of alarms in Reeve’s worrying mind. “… _Kai?_ What happened?”

Reeve swore he heard a small choke from the phone, but Kai seemed determined to keep himself composed. “I-I don’t want to talk about it right now ok?! That’s not what I called you for! I called you because I need your help!”

“…O...k…” Reeve hesitantly replied. The guy needed help with something; and he wasn’t one to deny aid to people he cared about. Even Kai. “What do you need?” It still irked him though, not knowing the full picture.

Kai let out a breathy, relieved thank god, and answered Reeve’s burning question. “I’ll text you my address when I hang up. I need you to walk to my house, but _only_ to the front of the gate. _Don’t stand in front of it either_. There are security cameras and it’ll look suspicious. Walk _slowly_ in front of the gate instead, like you’re on a midnight stroll or something. I’ll call you once I see you through my window and give you more info. I’d recommend wearing some sort of hoodie too to conceal your identity better; but if you’re going to do that, you _have_ to tell me what color it is or I won’t-”

“ _Woah woah woah hold the damn phone_!” Reeve was more bewildered than he had ever been in his life. “Kai what exactly are you _planning?!_ ”

“Like I said, I’ll give you more info when you reach the front of my gate! Just please…god _please_ help me Reeve. I…I _can’t_ …”

Kai trailed off, leaving Reeve to contemplate his options.

But in the end there really wasn’t an option. Call Reeve a fool, but he would _not_ ignore a friend’s cry for help, even if they were being difficult and purposely vague.

“…A-alright. I’ll help you.” Reeve decided, shifting out of his bed and grabbing the purple hoodie from three years ago, hanging loosely from his closet. It was way oversized then, but now it fit him perfectly. “I’ll be wearing a purple hoodie.”

Kai let out a sigh of ease at the news. “…Thank you so much…Alright, I’ll be waiting.” And just like that, Kai had hung up. Reeve’s phone let out a small beep to let him know of this fact.

…It was 1:00 AM. It was dark and cold as hell outside right now.

And here was Reeve, shutting the front door of his house behind him, barely warm in his old hoodie and taking his first steps to the address Kai had texted him.

…Tonight was going to be a night, that was for sure.


	2. Chapter 1: The Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reeve drives a limo

Kai’s house was much farther from where Reeve lived than Reeve originally thought.

Google maps told him it would only take 40 to 45 minutes to reach his four-and-a-half-mile destination. He was a fast stroller, so he figured he’d be there by 30.

It _actually_ took a little more than an hour to get there.

Sure, Reeve could have just drove there, but where would he park the car? It would be pretty suspicious to just park it in front of Kai’s gate. Suspicion seemed to be the exact _opposite_ of what the red-head wanted.

He chalked up his unusually slow walking speed to the frigid wind freezing his bare knees so much every step was more than uncomfortable. God he should have put on some pants instead of his usual shorts. Why was he doing this again?

…Oh yeah, because Kai needed his help. He reminded himself this in an attempt to appease his rising frustration, as his phone delightfully alerted him of his arrival to his destination. Sure enough, upon glancing to the side. There was the esteemed gate Kai told him about, along with the… _Jesus Christ_.

Adam and Mira seriously weren’t joking when they said Kai was rich off his ass huh? The mansion was decently sized, with a small white gazebo resting in front of the huge yard it owned. God, Reeve even saw a statue of Kai himself somewhere in there! And is… _is that a freaking helicopter?!_

But Reeve couldn’t stand still for too long. As Kai instructed, he had to keep moving, so he tread slowly in front of Kai’s gate, lowering his hoodie and observing each darkened window…until he found one that was open, and filled with light.

It was Kai’s room; no doubt was in Reeve’s mind when he saw their silhouette through that window. They jolted up a bit, upon seeing him, and suddenly disappeared.

A few seconds later, Reeve got another phone call.

“Alright! you’re here.” Was the introduction Reeve was greeted with. Kai sounded much more energetic than he did earlier this night.

Reeve shrugged, rubbing the eye-bags under his eyes. He just wants to _sleep_. “…Yeah? So what next? What’s going on?”

“You’ll see. Just…let me…finish this up.” Reeve heard the clicking sounds of a keyboard being mercilessly abused. He didn’t know what Kai was doing on the other side of that phone, but it must have something to do with his “technologically advanced” power. Most The Hollow players call it the handyman power, but it encompassed much more than fixing things. Reeve should know. He dappled in most of The Hollow powers provided during beta testing.

“…Aaaaaaand…done!” Kai exclaimed, smashing one final button. While Reeve raised an eyebrow at first, unsure of what exactly Kai did; his confusion would soon be cleared, upon hearing a strange, sharp buzzing sound.

Reeve twirled on his heels, and looked in every direction for the source of the noise…and he finally found it in one of the security camera’s situated on Kai’s gate. Smoking, and surrounded by small volts of electricity; it wasn’t going to be looking out for any more trouble for the rest of the night.

“They’re broken right? The security cameras?” Inquired Reeve’s phone. It took the telekinetic a few seconds to get over the shock and give an answer. “…Yeah…” He confirmed for the tech wizard on the other side of his phone.

Kai let out a joyous yes of achievement. Reeve could feel it in his bones, that Kai fist pumped at that moment. “O-ok ok! Wait outside the gate! I’ll come get you!” And they hung up once more.

Reeve let out a tense sigh, shuffling back to the gate and standing impatiently in front of it. He just wanted some damn answers already!

…Keep your cool man. It’ll be ok. Reeve tried to alleviate his own stress, and massaged his temples. You’re a man. You can handle this.

…They were things he was sure Skeet would be saying right now. No doubt if they were still here, he would have brought them with him…for multiple reasons. For one, Reeve wouldn’t have to have walked a regretful hour to get here-

Reeve was snapped out of his brooding when he heard tires against the road, and a limo from Kai’s mansion hurtling towards him.

Reeve let out an involuntary shriek of terror, and sprinted away from the moving vehicle. His judgement was poor however, due to his sleep deprivation, and he decided it was better to run in a straight line away from it rather than…like…move out of the damn way.

So when he slammed his body against the metal fence on the other side of Kai’s road, and was still in the limo’s way? Reeve thought he was actually going to die. He got to witness the whole theater show of his life and everything.

…But, thank his luck, the limo swerved out of the way just in time, and screeched to a sudden halt. Reeve would live to see another day.

 _…But Kai sure wouldn’t_. Reeve thought with murderous intent as the reckless idiot kicked the car door open and jumped out of the driver’s seat.

“ _O-oh my god! Are you ok?!_ ” Kai panted out. He was in a clear state of panic, having just almost run over a friend of his.

“ _No!_ I’m not ok!” Reeve snapped, his eyes wide, and glaring daggers at Kai. “ _My life literally flashed before my eyes!_ Do you even know how to drive?!”

“… _No!_ I don’t! I’m 14!” Kai responded. Reeve’s anger was rubbing off on Kai, and he shouted with just as much ferocity. “That’s why I called you! You’re the only one in the group that has a driver’s license! I-I’m sorry I almost hit you ok?!”

Reeve’s adrenaline wore off, and with a clearer mind he let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “…Alright…alright, I forgive you…just…Jesus Christ man just slam the damn breaks next time. You’ll get some major whiplash but at least you won’t risk crashing the lim…”

And then it hit Reeve. It hit Reeve that Kai wanted him to drive a limo.

A _limo_.

“…Kai…I don’t think I can-” But Reeve wasn’t able to finish. Kai shrugged off his reasonable protest. “It can’t be too different from driving a normal car, right?”

Yes and no, but Reeve knew there was no point in explaining to Kai that planning your turns was much easier with a rectangle shaped car than a car the length of a freaking noodle.

So here was Reeve, sweating bullets as he placed his hands on the steering wheel, and started the engine. _Don’t fail him now drivers ed._

“…So…where are we driving to and _why_ are we going there.” Reeve inquired Kai, as he carefully drove down the roads; so carefully he was 10 miles under the 20-mile speed limit.

Kai, expecting this question, pushed the suspiciously filled up duffel bag to the side of his seat and crawled up to Reeve; pulling out his phone and letting the telekinetic glance at the chosen destination on google maps.

…The… _literal middle of nowhere_. That’s where they’re going.

“Abandoned asylum in the middle of the woods.” Kai explained to the now horrified Reeve. “Vanessa found it on one of her early morning flights and showed me a few pictures she took of it.”

…

He…he _had_ to be joking.

“…You’re telling me that you, Kai Parnall…” Reeve begin, inhaling deeply and rubbing his temples as he came upon an intersection and made a slow, anxious inducing turn. “Kai _“I screamed bloody murder at the snap of a twig”_ Parnall-”

“ _Hey!_ ” Kai squeaked defensively. He did not appreciate being indirectly called a coward.

“…Wants to go to the creepy abandoned asylum at 2 am on the morning.” Reeve finished. No. No way. Who was he driving right now? This wasn’t Kai.

“I can handle it! I’m not as much as a wimp as you think I am!” Kai whined out, clutching onto the top of Reeve’s seat; his eyes furrowed in embarrassment.

“Ok! Uh-huh! Sure!” Reeve wheezed out. _Yeah right_. Everyone knew for a fact that Kai would whine in fear at the wind if it made the wrong spooky howl. “So pray, tell me Kai. Why _do_ you want to go to the abandoned asylum in the middle of nowhere at 2 am?”

“…Well…” Kai mumbled out, unusually focused on the map on his phone. “… _I’m moving there._ ”

…!

Reeve slammed the breaks faster than he had ever slammed them in his life.


	3. Chapter 2: Welcome Home, Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai moves out of his parent's house

The limo wasn’t going too fast that its sudden halt knocked Kai to the floor, but it did startle Kai enough to have him clutching to the seat next to Reeve’s.

 **“You’re _what?!_ ”** Reeve hissed out. His eyes were narrowed with disbelief, and his tone was laced with shock.

Kai gulped, trying to gain the courage to repeat his answer once more. “…I-I…I’m moving there. Leaving my parent’s place! F-forging my own path!” Kai attempted to laugh it off, like it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“… _You’re running away from home!_ ” Reeve corrected. The previous horror was now partially replaced with fury. Did Kai _actually_ properly think this through?! Does he have _any_ idea how reckless and dangerous his “plan” was?!

“I-I’m not…! W-well…” Kai let out a defeated sigh, clutching onto his arm and biting his lip. “… _Y-yeah I am_ but you don’t need to worry about it! We’re in the hollow life! I’m a literal fire-bender! I can take care of myself-”

Reeve shook his head in frustration. Of course, they didn’t understand. They were _Kai_. “Alright then! Food! Water! How are you going to get those?” He challenged the fool. _Hopefully_ he can convince them of their stupidity.

“There’s a river near the asylum! I can just refill the water bottles I brought with me in that duffel bag!” Kai pointed to the ugly, army green duffel bag previously pushed aside; brimming with god knows what. “I brought tons of food and snacks too! When I run out, I can always buy more! I have like…thousands in cash! I’m still loaded! It’ll last me a while!”

Reeve face-palmed. “First off, you have no idea what’s in that river! You could get a hundred different diseases from contaminated drinking water! Second off, what happens if you run out of that money Kai?! What then?!”

“T-that won’t happen-”

Reeve slammed his fists against the steering wheel. “ _Answer my question Kai!_ ” He commanded.

Kai let out a huff of frustration and rolled his eyes. “ _Then I’ll hunt for food!_ I’ll scavenge for berries and shoot down deer with a single fiery bullet from my hand!” He almost gloated, forming one of his hands into a pistol and igniting a flame at the tip of the “muzzle.” “I mean, if I’m desperate. I’ll most likely just get a job!”

“Where will you find a place that hires people your age, and more importantly will the pay even be enough to sustain you?!” Reeve countered; his voice starting to croak from how loud it continues to be. “And you look at me in the eyes and tell me you’d have the guts to shoot down a 350 pound buck for food, let alone have the skills to cook it well enough to where you can eat it and not get food poisoning! You’d probably be high on nightshade while you’re at it! Because you sure as hell ain't no boy scout like Adam and his 90 badges!”

Reeve shook his head, and pulled Kai closer to himself by their arm, firmly holding them by their shoulders. “Kai, you can’t just run away from your pampered mansion life to live in an abandoned asylum that probably gets as cold as 10 degrees Fahrenheit at night! You could start a fire in there to keep you warm but if the authorities find out your parents could be charged because _you_ not only trespassed into private property, but you also tried to live there for god’s sake! We haven’t even mentioned the sanitation issues!” Reeve shook Kai by his shoulders, trying to drill in the facts through Kai’s think skull. “ _Jesus_ Kai use your brain and _think_ about this! Your parents would be worried to-”

 **“ _My parents couldn’t care less about me!_ ”** Kai shrieked back, tears threatening to escape his eyes. The outburst startled Reeve so much that he backed away from the red-head, raising his hands defensively in the air.

The only sound that could be heard for those short moments was the limo’s engine; low and growling out the tension that had formed.

“… _I mean…how could they_?” Kai’s voice broke out, and he wiped his sweating eyes with his shoulders. He covered his mouth and avoided Reeve’s worried gaze. “They think of me as nothing more than s _ome doll_ for them to control.” He inhaled through his nose sharply, and shuffled towards the back seat of the limo; taking a seat and curling up into a ball. “... _They make me feel more worthless than dirt_.”

That last comment stabbed Reeve in the heart.

He clung onto the steering wheel; his eyebrows furrowed with concern. He thinks he has a pretty clear picture on what happened to Kai this night. “…Did you and your parents…?”

Kai, his head buried into his knees, let out a strained chuckle. “Fight again?” He finished Reeve’s question for them; although Reeve wasn’t expecting Kai to state he got heated with his parents _often_. “…Yeah. But this one was the final nail on the coffin. I’m _never_ going to forgive them. _Ever_.”

…Reeve let out a small sigh. He stared at the street lights illuminating the darkened streets. “…You…” He trailed off, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. “…You want to talk about it?”

“ _No_.”

Kai’s instant, resolute no thinned Reeve’s lips. He didn’t know what to do at all. He obviously couldn’t take Kai to the abandoned asylum like they wanted him too, but he also felt that he shouldn’t take Kai back to his parents’ place. After all, if Kai was willing to hack in and break his house’s security cameras…and god now that Reeve thinks about it, they probably would’ve tried to drive the limo _themselves_ if Reeve had refused to help, wouldn’t they?

Reeve just had a bad feeling, a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him taking Kai back to their house wasn’t the best idea. But what else could he do?

…And then it hit him. There was only one thing he could do that would sit right with him.

Kai raised his head up, almost like he was a deer in headlights. The moving limo sent Kai into a sudden state of panic. “…R-Reeve! Reeve _please_ don’t drive me back! P-please!” He frantically begged; hugging his knees closer to his chest. “ _Reeve please_ -”

“I’m not going to rat you out. Don’t worry.” Reeve reassured. He was starting to gain more confidence in driving this luxury vehicle; He was driving a whole 18 miles per hour.

Turn after turn, the sprawling country club around them morphed into a more dense, more populous neighborhood.

Kai was completely on edge by the time the limo was parked in a small garage. The limo barely fit; the tail was inches apart from the garage door.

He was confused as Reeve opened the car door on his side, beckoning for them to exit the vehicle with their things. The telekinetic quickly got frustrated by Kai’s attempt at dragging his heavy duffel bag across the floor, so they carried it with the air, throwing it on the couch nearby the entrance to whatever house they were inside.

“This is the living room.” Reeve suddenly explained to the meek Kai, gesturing to the modest couch and TV set in the room the two found themselves in. “The kitchen’s the doorway to the front of you, and the laundry room’s the door to the left, right next to you.”

Kai was led upstairs, where a small hallway of doors rested. Reeve opened the door farthest from the stairs, and showcased the room to Kai.

It was a bedroom with a tiny, personal bathroom to the left. small in Kai’s standards, but that wasn’t a bad thing. It was…homey.

“This is the guest room; it can be yours for the time being.” Reeve concluded, leaving Kai to process what he just heard come out of Reeve’s mouth. “I’ll carry your duffel bag up here. You can unpack your things on the bed-”

“W-what?” Kai slurred out, gaining Reeve’s attention. Kai stood in front of the guest bedroom, dazed and confused beyond relief. “…Reeve who’s…who’s house is this?”

Reeve raised an eyebrow at Kai’s question, almost as if it was a stupid question to ask. “…Kai…this is _my house_.” He answered what seemed to him to be an obvious fact.

Pure silence filled the air; as Kai and Reeve stared at each other with dumbfoundment.

“…T-thank you.” Kai eventually choked out. Shedding a tear, and then another, and then another. Soon he was sobbing and wiping away his tears right in front of Reeve, who rushed to the red-head in worry. “T-thank you so much!” Kai cried out.

Reeve attempted to reach out to Kai, but he stopped himself halfway. He retreated his hand, and rubbed his arm. “…It’s…it’s only until my parents come back from their business trip in a few months.” He stated, staring off to the side. “You’ll have to figure out what you’re going to do before then.”

Kai couldn’t care less about that fact. He was just _relieved_. Relieved he didn’t have to go back, at least for the time being. Once more he expressed his sincerity; annoying the telekinetic once more. “You’re _fine_ Kai.” He stated, and he would have further talked about how he was a friend of theirs; and what else are friends for?

But Reeve didn't; Because saying out loud that him and Kai were friends wouldn’t be…the complete truth. They did have the same friends, but if he was honest, the two were barely bordering between distant companions and good acquaintances.

So instead he said with half a strained smile. “…Welcome home.”


	4. Chapter 3: Pancake Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reeve cooks Kai breakfast

_Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding._

That insistent, annoying sound from Kai’s phone awoke the red-head from his deep slumber. He growled in frustration not only at the seeming echo of a bell, but the sun’s blinding rays from the nearby window. Yanking the phone off the top of the nearby nightstand; he barely comprehended the color of the ceiling, which was an unfamiliar warm grey instead of the usual Tyrian purple of his bedroom.

It took a while for his blurry vision to clear, but when they processed the text alerts displayed on his phone from none other than his mom and dad; Kai was snapped back into reality. The events of last night rushed through his brain; fully, and unfortunately awakening him.

A low growl escaped his throat, as he scrolled through the mountains of texts that had piled up in the past few hours. Texts like _“Kai where on earth are you!?” “Tell us your location this instant!” “You’re being disgustingly disrespectful!” “We did not raise you like some urban hooligan!”_

It made Kai’s blood boil, _especially_ with what happened the night before. Of course his parents weren’t sorry! They only thought about themselves, their company, and their image!

Letting out a small tsk, he pulled up his contacts, and blocked his mom and his dad’s numbers without a second thought. It was only afterwards that he finally took note of the time: 9 o’clock.

Kai’s phone, now thankful silent, was stuffed in his jean pocket. He didn’t even bother to change into some pajamas last night. He was too exhausted at the time.

He took a moment to observe his surroundings. The guest bedroom Reeve had shown to him was already beginning to look like chaos. All of Kai’s clothes were piled up in one spot of the bed, which was likely disturbed by Kai last night while he was changing sleeping positions. Some of the clean-ish clothes had fallen to the rugged carpet floor.

As for the duffel bag Kai brought with him, it laid in a corner of the room, opened and still stuffed with all sorts of junk: toiletries and junk food, his laptop, video games and their accompanied consoles, cash, and some miscellaneous items.

Kai let out a small sigh, and slid off the guest bed. He reached for the nearby curtains of the window, which he closed; dimming the room and relieving his strained eyes.

Then he gathered the courage, and opened the door of the guest room; slowly descending down the creaking stairs. Every groan the worn steps emitted when pressed raised Kai’s anxiety; and he was already anxious just being here in Reeve’s house. He wasn’t used to the sights and smells. This wasn’t his home.

He made it though. He made it to the end of the stairs, and was greeted with a lively, bright TV screen. In front of said screen was Reeve himself; still in his pajamas and button-mashing on his PlayStation controller like his life depended on winning his second round of Mortal Kombat.

Kai watched in uncomfortable silence for a while; witnessing Reeve’s main, Geras, kick and punch Jax Briggs to dust. The telekinetic must have been playing this game for a while now; the opponent hardly ever had the time to make a move. Predictably, Reeve won the fight with a pretty high score.

Kai wanted to say something; specifically, he wanted to ask if there was anything to eat in the kitchen. Although he had food upstairs, they were exclusively snacks he stole from his kitchen in a haste. He knew he needed something more filling; but he just couldn’t find the confidence to ask Reeve, considering he technically lied to them about the food he had. And so he just stood there; words stuck in his throat.

And then Reeve lowered his controller and turned his head towards Kai; startling them half to death. Kai jumped and let out a small squeak; burying himself further into the wall, if that was even possible.

Reeve blinked in confusion at Kai’s reaction, and tilted his head. “You’ve been standing there for a few minutes now. You need something?”

Kai choked on the realization that Reeve knew he had been watching this entire time. “H-how did you-”

“I heard you come down the stairs. They creak louder than the wooden floors of a haunted house.” Reeve answered Kai’s question before he even finished it. Kai bit his lip in embarrassment, and played with his shirt sleeves in an attempt to distract himself from the awkward situation he forced himself in. “…I…I was wondering if there’s anything I can eat here?”

Reeve frowned at this question, and Kai was worried he might have upset the guy; but they seemed more puzzled than anything. “…Why don’t you just cook whatever food you brought with you?” He prodded.

“…Th…they’re only snacks.” Kai admitted, thinning his lips and staring intently at the oh-so-interesting floor.

“…So you were lying when you said you had tons of food.” Reeve deadpanned; his eyelids lowered and his frown deepening. He appeared almost disappointed in Kai. Whether it was due to Kai’s poor food choices, or him just lying to Reeve; Kai didn’t know.

Kai let tiny huff, and nodded his head in defeat. Reeve sighed, and stared at the character selection screen on his TV in thought. After a few moments he turned to Kai once more. “I ate the last of leftovers last night. I can make you something if you want?”

Although Kai’s growling stomach wasn’t against the idea, Kai was. “Y-you don’t have to! I can make it myself-”

“You know what, just sit down on the couch.” Reeve concluded, turning off his PlayStation and his TV. “I’m making you pancakes. You’re obviously hungry and you probably don’t know how to cook do you? You have a butler for that right?”

“Yeah but, it’s not that hard right?” Kai tried to reason; a faux-confident smirk on his face. “Cooking I mean! What’s the worst that could happen?”

Reeve raised an eyebrow at this statement, as he walked past Kai, towards the kitchen. “…You could set my house on fire?” He answered Kai’s rhetorical question with an emotionless tone and opened one of the cupboards; grabbing the pancake mix and cooking spray.

Kai waltzed towards the kitchen entrance. “Um, hello! I could set your house on fire without having to touch a single pan!” Kai stated, showing off a small flame burning from his hands with falsely-placed pride.

Reeve wasn’t that impressed. “Put that out please? I don’t trust those butter-fingers of yours.” Having said this, a spark flew to the living room carpet; hot enough to ignite a tiny floor flame. Kai in a state of panic stomped it out, and sheepishly smiled at the eye-twitching Reeve, who already finished mixing the pancake batter. “Are you saying I’m clumsy?” Kai accused, trying his best to pretend the accident never happened.

“…Yes.” Reeve responded, pouring the batter onto the griddle and pulling out a spatula from one of the counter drawers. He didn’t elaborate further, and the brief answer stabbed at Kai’s pride.

Kai crossed his arms, leaned against the side of the doorway, and letting out a frustrated huff. “…Why are you always so mean to me?” He unintentionally whined out.

Reeve, flipping one of the pancakes, suddenly froze. He turned his head to witness the dejected pyrokinetic leaning against the doorway. Seeing the sad display, Reeve was filled with guilt at his words.

This happened a lot with the people Reeve wasn’t very close with. He knew he could come off as cold and spiteful to strangers and acquaintances; it was his weird way of showing his approval and affection. If he was truly mad at someone, he would be howling in infuriation at them. Him and Adam’s relationship before The Hollow Life mess happened was a good example of that fury.

He keeps forgetting that Kai is more sensitive than the average person. Adam, Mira and Vanessa remind him every time he makes an unintentional offhand comment that greatly lowers the red-head’s mood.

“…Hey…I’m…sorry.” Reeve apologized softly. “I don’t…mean to hurt your feelings; this is just kind of how I am. Trust me; if I didn’t like you, you would know.”

“…I know.” Kai spat out, his glare narrowing. He refused to look at Reeve’s face. “I haven’t forgotten how much of a jerk you were to me before The Hollow Life.”

Reeve’s eyes widened as the memories of the desert and the ice castle came rushing back. He had nearly forgotten!

One of the most distinctive events he could recall was nearly smashing Kai to the ground with a giant cactus; just to prove his superiority, which his memory-less self so desperately wanted to have back then.

…Jesus Christ… _He never apologized for all that_.

“…God, I’m so sorry about…everything I did to you back then!” Reeve passionately began; clutching his forehead and shaking his head. He was disgusted with his old self; their intense desire for control and their blatant insecurities, insecurities he had mostly gotten over. “I was in a bad place at the time; but that didn’t mean I had the right to take it out on you. All of us…well…except Vanessa, were scared and confused during that game; and I was only thinking about myself.”

Kai was surprised by Reeve’s seemingly genuine apology. He gazed at the sincere telekinetic with a slightly gaping mouth.

Reeve continued. “…Look, I…know we had kind of a rough start but I really do want to be your friend.” He admitted with a nervous smile on his face. “I think you’re a cool guy, really.”

Kai was even more shocked by Reeve’s compliments. His face flushed a bit, flattered by their words.

…Maybe…Reeve wasn’t as much of a jerk as he thought. Not that he still hated the guy. He knew Reeve could be cool; they were friends with Adam and Mira after all. Kai just…never got over the past, deep down.

But considering Reeve finally apologized for what he did…Kai was more willing to let Reeve in.

He just hoped doing so wouldn’t backfire on him. “…I…You’re…” Kai was at a loss for words. “… _T-thank you_ …”

Reeve’s awkward smile morphed into a more joyful grin. “…No problem.”

“…Ah…Reeve? I don’t think pancakes are supposed to smoke like that.” Kai pointed out the noxious, grey steams coming from the simmering pancake. Reeve; upon noticing his cooking error; cursed under his breath and flipped the pancakes. They were badly burnt; almost complete black.

Kai noted Reeve’s defeated expression, as he reached for the temperature knob of the griddle. He was giving up; likely going clean the surface of the griddle and start a new batch.

But Kai protested, grabbing Reeve’s arm in haste before they can turn off the griddle. “I’ll still eat it! It’s fine!” He tried to convince the cook; who looked almost horrified at Kai’s suggestion. “…You?” Reeve pointed at the doofus, and then pointed to the pancakes straight from hell’s kitchen. “Eat _these_?”

Kai, glancing once more at the ruined pancakes; swallowed his fear and reluctantly nodded. “…Y-yep! I will!”

Reeve shook his head in disbelief; but continued his pancake making. “You goddamn _heathen_.” He hissed out; almost disgusted.

This time Kai could see past Reeve’s aggressive words; realizing the worry hidden in their tone.

“Says the guy who bites candy canes as far as I’ve heard.” He accused in a playful tone. Deep down though Kai was regretting his choices. _Curse his stubbornness._


	5. Chapter 4: Puppy Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reeve discovers that he has a crush

“Good morning by the way.”

Kai’s somber greeting earned a small chuckle out of Reeve. He could tell that the red-head was already severely regretting their choice in eating the burnt pancakes. They chewed slowly with increasing discomfort on Reeve’s couch; watching him finish another fight in Mortal Kombat.

“I warned you about those pancakes.” Reeve stated once again with a tiny smile, but Kai was too stubborn to admit defeat. “What are you talking about?!” He shouted defensively, scarfing down another big bite, and shivering in disgust. “T-they taste _great!_ ” He choked out in tears.

Reeve only rolled his eyes, and switched his opponent on the character selection screen. He was just about to start a new round with his main and The Joker-

_Ding dong._

Both Reeve and Kai tensed up at the doorbell’s call. They stared at each other for a few moments in worry, and then at the door in distrust.

“…Go to the stairs.” Reeve commanded Kai; who for once did what he was told without any complaint. He set his dishes on the couch and tip-toed speedily towards the stairs as Reeve cautiously walked towards their front door.

Reeve peaked through the peephole of the door to see who it was, and he sighed in relief when he saw Adam and Mira in front of the door; waiting to be invited inside.

Today was a Sunday, and that meant it was competition day. Him, Adam and Mira would be playing against each other in Mortal Kombat. Whoever got the most wins got to pick where they were going to hang out for the afternoon.

“It’s just Adam and Mira.” Reeve whispered to Kai. Kai however was not as joyful at the news as Reeve thought he would be. “…So?!” He harshly whispered back; raising his hands out to presenting himself to Reeve. “Don’t you think me being in your house would be a bit suspicious to them?!”

“You don’t want them to know?!” Reeve questioned hurriedly as the doorbell rang once more.

“No! Not yet anyways! You _know_ how they would react to my situation! I can’t deal with that right now!” Kai exclaimed “I’m going upstairs! Tell me when they’re gone!”

And before Reeve could say any more, Kai raced up the stairs and disappeared.

Thinking on it further; Kai did have a point. Adam and Mira were the mom friends of the group. They’d have _a lot_ to say about Kai running away so recklessly.

The third doorbell tolled, and Reeve knew he couldn’t keep Mira and Adam waiting for much longer. He opened the door with a strained, friendly smile. “Hey guys! How’ve you two been?”

“We’ve been doing great!” Mira answered back; giving Reeve a friendly hug and entering the house. “How’ve you been?”

“Fine as usual.” Reeve shrugged with a lazy smirk. He hoped the bags under his eyes weren’t that noticeable. “A bit tired though. Didn’t get much sleep last night.

“Really?” Exclaimed Adam, who came up from behind Reeve and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “What kept you up last night?”

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum went Reeve’s heart; as the warmth from Adam’s arm heated Reeve’s face. He tried his best to hide his blush. “Ah…Nothing was really uh…bothering me last night. I just couldn’t sleep.”

“You sure?” Adam prodded. His neutral smile now a more concerned frown.

“Really, I’m fine!” Reeve reassured Adam once more, subtly pushing away their arm. “Now let’s play some Mortal Kombat! I’ve polished my strategy and there’s no way I’m losing!” He gloated, wishing his thumping heart would just calm down for a few seconds.

His wish was granted, but not for long; Adam’s chuckle did something to Reeve somehow, and now it was beating twice as fast, and reddening Reeve’s ears.

“Oh yeah? I’ve been practicing a bit myself! Let’s see what you got!” Adam challenged. Reeve smiled wide, accepting the duel with a strange, overwhelming joy he had only been feeling until just recently. He loved playing games with Adam. Winning or losing, it didn’t really matter to him as much anymore. What mattered the most was that he was doing it with Adam.

…Ha. What was wrong with him lately? Adam’s been making him feel giddy and strange for a few weeks now. Did he eat something weird?

“Have fun fighting for second place you too!” Mira giggled out in confidence, one of the controllers already in her hands. “Because I’m going to win this round! Reeve! You and me first…”

Mira trailed off, and inspected the slice of burnt pancake on the abandoned plate laying on the couch. “…That…pancake looks a little…” Mira seemed squeamish just looking at it.

Adam raised an eyebrow and walked over to see what Mira was talking about. He winced at what he saw. “ _Jeeeez_ that…looks _delicious_.” The sarcasm was blatant.

Reeve’s mind was running in circles, thinking of some kind of excuse as his best friends eyed the pancake, and then eyed him for an explanation.

And then he found one. “I was too lazy to make a better batch so I sucked it up and ate it.” Reeve blurted out.

Mira raised an eyebrow at this obvious lie. “…Reeve we all know your kind of a perfectionist when it comes to cooking. You wouldn’t eat this if you were paid in cold hard cash!”

Adam nodded in agreement, before his attention was caught by something. Reeve followed their gaze, only to notice with dread the timbs resting by the garage door. Timbs that definitely weren’t his own.

“…Reeve…are you hiding something from us?” Adam questioned, tapping Mira and pointing with his thumb at the clue he noticed. “…Or _someone_?” He specified his question, a teasing, suggestive smirk on his face.

Reeve let out a strained cough, and forced out a small chuckle. “Are you serious? Of course not! I’m the lone wolf of the trio! We all know that!” The very idea of dating _anyone_ , let alone Kai of all people took a few years out of Reeve’s digital life. No way! Not in a million…!

…But upon thinking of the scenario; of him and his imaginary significant other doing lovey-dovey things that usually made him roll his eyes in annoyance…that significant other was replaced with Adam; laughing and holding his hand.

It filled Reeve with a strange, floaty feeling, and he quickly shook off the daydream.

“Come on Reeve! There’s no need to be embarrassed!” Mira tried to wave Reeve’s tension away. It wasn’t working as well as she hoped. “I mean, I _do_ find it a bit weird considering we’re the only people in this digital world that are self-aware; but we totally support you two and understand if you want some _alone_ time for the day! Me and Adam can always come over some other time!”

“ _I’m not_ -”

“So they’re hiding upstairs right?” Adam speculated, turning his head towards the stairway. “Come on man! Introduce us to them!” Mira nodded eagerly in agreement at Adam’s wish; while Reeve stumbled and tried to defend himself. “Yeah Reeve! At the very least tell us what they look like!” Mira added.

“ _Guys I’m not dating him!_ I brought him to my house last night because he’s having some trouble at home.” Reeve confessed to half the truth. “He really doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now. _Leave him alone_.”

Adam and Mira eyed each other; their previous lively mood now thoroughly dampened. “…Oh…We’re uh, sorry Reeve. Did he tell you what happened?” Mira inquired; although hesitantly. She knew it was technically none of her business.

Reeve shrugged his shoulders, and crossed his arms; letting out a stressed sigh. “All I know is that he got into a fight with his parents. He won’t give me details.”

Adam seemed irked off by the news, unlike the sympathetic Mira. “…Wait…so you’re basically harboring a runaway?” Adam’s statement confused Mira at first, but upon processing it, she too seemed concerned. “…Reeve, you could get in trouble for that you know.”

…Oh _fudge_.

He didn’t think this through, did he? God he even has a stolen vehicle in his garage!

“Based on the paling skin I’m assuming you acted on instinct first and logic second.” Mira deadpanned, shaking her head. Adam’s shoe tapped worriedly on the floor. He decided to give his two cents on the situation. “…Look, Reeve. Your gut is usually right and if it told you taking this guy back to his parents wasn’t the best idea, then you probably did the right thing.” Adam began, walking up to Reeve and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Just be careful ok? If you’re not the one that gets in trouble, then your parents might considering this is there house. I’m not a lawyer so I don’t know what will happen if the police find out.”

Reeve’s lips thinned, and he hesitantly nodded. “…Yeah, I will…Thanks guys.”

Adam’s serene smile struck Reeve’s heart once more; He felt a small longing when their hand left his shoulder. “No problem Reeve. That’s what friends are for!”

Reeve’s eyes widened ever so slightly, and his lips parted at a sudden realization.

 _Friends_.

Adam referring to him as a friend… _stun_ in an odd way…and that was the moment he knew.

He had a crush on Adam.

_Oh no._

“Anyways, I think me and Adam should probably get going.” Mira concluded, surprising Reeve greatly. Why leave so soon?

Adam nodded in agreement, much to Reeve’s dismay. “Yeah. The mood’s been kind of ruined; and Reeve’s likely busy at the moment considering what happened.” Adam turned and smiled sheepishly at Reeve. “You fine with that?” He asked for confirmation.

“…Yeah…it’s fine.” Reeve muttered. A hint of depression in his tone. “There’s a lot him and I have to talk about.”

Reeve watched Adam and Mira wave goodbye out in his yard, and walk to their respective homes together through the opened front door. He leaned his head against the front door and sighed.

He wished he had said something about them leaving. They could have all just chilled and watched Netflix for a few hours instead?

…An image of him and Adam cuddling and watching movies together was quickly shunned by Reeve’s mind. No! Don’t daydream about scenarios that won’t happen! Out of _everyone_ in this digital world, why did he have to fall for his _best friend_?!

…He really didn’t want to dwell on this right now. There were more important things to do at the moment; things more important than stand in front of his front door being a love-sick fool.

Trying to shake off the tight feeling in his heart and grabbing Kai’s unfinished plate of pancakes; Reeve walked up the stairs to the red-head’s room.


	6. Chapter 5: Unity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reeve and Kai talk about their situation.

“They’re gone now.” Reeve alerted as he knocked on the guest bedroom door, now Kai’s bedroom.

He heard shuffling from inside the room, and the door creaked wide open; revealing the pyrokinetic in all his glory, along with the guest bedroom he had already made a mess of. “That was quick?” Kai croaked out with a surprised look on his face; his hair was much messier than before. “What happened?”

“They know someone else lives in my house and that they ran away from their home.” Reeve confessed. The news significantly paled Kai’s skin. Reeve elaborated in an attempt to counsel the horrified teenager. “But they don’t know it’s you! Don’t worry! The cat isn’t out of the box yet.”

Kai seemed a bit comforted by Reeve reassurance, but he was still on edge. “…R-Reeve, it’s not going to be long until Mira and Adam connect the dots!” Kai’s body twitched and shook. Breathing heavily, he tightly hugged the ruffled pillow he had dragged with him. “My parents have Miles’s phone number! They’ll call him to ask where I went and w-when he brings it up to Mira she’ll just _know_ , and t-then she’ll tell them where I am and I’ll h-have to go back-”

“Hey! Hey.” Reeve softened his tone and placed his hands on Kai’s shoulders, putting the anxious Kai somewhat at ease. “Don’t dwell on things that may or may not happen. Let’s just focus on the now…which we need to talk about by the way.”

“You’re kicking me out?” Kai accused without a second thought.

“W-what? No! Kai why would I do that to you?! You have nowhere else to go!” Reeve was almost insulted Kai would think that lowly of him.

“B-but I’ve been mean to you since this m-morning and-“

“Kai you literally ran away from home last night. I don’t blame you for being a bit cranky.” Reeve reasoned; his frown deepening at the tears brimming in Kai’s puffy eyes. Did they cry while Reeve was downstairs with Adam and Mira? “…Hey. Hey. It’s ok.” He muttered, squeezing Kai’s shoulders and pulling them closer to him. “You’re going to be ok. You’re safe here.”

Kai only buried his face into his pillow. His body shook as he tried his best not to cry in front of the telekinetic before him.

Reeve quickly ushered Kai to the guest bed, and the two sat down on it, crisscross apple sauce and facing each other. As Reeve set down Kai’s unfinished, unholy pancake to the side; Kai managed to compose himself, and he nodded at Reeve, signaling he was ready for the discussion.

“…So…by definition, I’m harboring a runaway.” Reeve started, noting the tension that formed in Kai’s posture; They already didn’t like this conversation. “Which I could go to jail for… _maybe_. I don’t know if the law applies to minors harboring other minors; but one scenario is I get detained for a few days with a warning, the other scenario is that my parents are held responsible and fined due to me harboring you in property they own.” Reeve bit his lip; he much preferred the former than the latter if he was being honest. “It hasn’t been 24 hours since you’ve left your home, but once that’s up, you think your parents will call the police?”

“Definitely.” Kai answered quietly “They have connections; they might even call the government for help.”

 _Well shoot_. “…Alright. That means you’ll need a disguise if you ever want to get out of the house. How public do you think your parents will be about the whole thing?”

“It’ll be on national television if they had their way.” Kai reasoned, scratching his head in thought. “Hoodies and covid-masks it is I guess.”

“You’ll stand out like a sore thumb though. Especially with a covid-mask.” Covid-masks went out of style decades ago. They didn’t die with the pandemic that created them; they actually survived as a fashion statement for a long time afterwards. All trends die eventually however; and now only the vintage hipsters and the punk anime-freaks wore them…well, that and criminals looking to keep their identity a secret. “Unless we have you dressed up like some e-boy…no, you’d still stand out like a sore thumb.” Reeve shook his head and sighed.

“…I can just…stay inside-”

“Dude that can’t be good for your health. You need to go outside every once and a while or you’ll go stir-crazy.” Reeve quickly cast aside Kai’s reasoning. “That and the others will get suspicious if they haven’t seen you for a while.”

“Pretty sure they’d consider me dressing up like Billie Eilish to be kind of suspicious too.” Kai countered, hugging his pillow tighter and slowly rocking back and forth on the bed. “There’s nothing we can do to avoid from suspicion Reeve, at least with our friends. They’re going to figure it out eventually…most likely tomorrow when my parents dramatically cry their eyes out on the news; calling for me and pretending they actually _care_.”

Reeve winced at bit at Kai’s sudden change in mood. The red-head spat out that last part with venom. Whatever happened between Kai and his parents last night filled the pyrokinetic’s veins with boiling rage.

“…Hey…uh…” Reeve was hesitant in asking again. “…You want to talk-”

“No! It really doesn’t matter what happened Reeve; trust me!” Kai snapped, glaring at Reeve defensively. “All you need to know is that my parents are bigoted jerks…and it took me 14 years to get to the point where I couldn’t handle it anymore.”

Reeve bit his lip; another attempt at gaining more info; failed. “…Alright then…but like…if you ever feel the need to vent about anything really. I’m here.”

Kai glanced up at Reeve, eyeing their expression. Their sincere smile made his heart skip a beat, and he slowly nodded; a flustered blush on his face. “…Y-yeah…thanks…”

“…”

“…”

“…We can discuss more about our situation later, for now…” Reeve broke the ice that had formed. “What do you like to eat?”

Kai raised an eyebrow at the seemingly odd question. “…Why are you asking?”

“I’m going to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I’m running out of some stuff and I figured I’d also buy some ingredients to make things you like.”

…Kai would’ve stated that Reeve didn’t need to do that for him; cook and all that. The guy wasn’t his butler. They weren’t getting paid to take care of him. Reeve was being more than generous letting him stay in their house.

But he _was_ living in Reeve’s house. Since Reeve was the only one that could cook, and the only one that could safely walk outside without suspicion; he concluded that Reeve did technically have a responsibility to help him with his basic needs.

…But it still didn’t sit right with him. He felt like a burden.

What was he doing here? Maybe…maybe he should go back…

…No. No way! He’s not going to give up that easily! He’s not a burden on Reeve as long as he contributes in _some_ way, right?!

“…I…like a lot of bread-based dishes. Especially French toast and grilled cheese. Not a big fan of spicy dishes surprisingly, but I can handle them as long as they’re not like _ghost pepper_ spicy.” Kai tapped his finger under his chin. “…I like mac & cheese, and of course I like pancakes and waffles. I’m not that picky despite my upbringing. Give me something to try and I’ll try it.” Kai concluded.

Reeve mentally noted these things and nodded his head in affirmation. “Alright. I’ll keep note of all that.” Reeve slid off the bed, and headed towards the bedroom exit. “Finish your pancakes and then bring the dishes downstairs…or scrape the rest into the garbage. Either way works as long as I wash them before the syrup hardens on the plate-”

“Wait!” Shouted Kai frantically. Reeve halted and turned to face Kai; who scrambled to his duffel bag and stuck his hand inside it. He pulled out a fat wad of cash, and it wasn’t long until it was slapped onto Reeve’s hands.

“…For the groceries…since you’re buying stuff for me.” Kai explained; staring down at his feet. “…And some extra so you can get whatever you want…since you’re letting me stay here.”

Reeve mentally counted the money in his hands over and over again. 2,000 dollars. 2,000 freaking dollars. This was half the living money his parents sent him each month when they were on their business trips; more than half was usually spent on the rent and bills.

With this amount of cash, he could have money leftover for the end of the month to get…god he could get the newest gaming console…!

…But he absolutely _refused_ to accept this generosity; half because it would damage is pride, and half because he knew why Kai was doing this. It was so obvious. They felt guilty for staying here.

He wanted to crush that guilt _fast_. “…Kai…this is _your_ money.” He began. He gave the wad of cash back to its owner; Kai’s hands. “I’m not some “pauper” as you rich people would say who can barely pay for basic necessities. I have enough money to support both of us. Don’t worry about it.” He curled Kai’s fingers around the money. “You use this only to by what _you_ want, ok? I’ll handle the rest.”

Kai seemed devastated at Reeve’s rejection; he vision swam around the room as he bit his lip in shame. “…I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you I just thought that…that since you’re letting me stay here I-”

“You didn’t offend me.” Reeve assured. Well, it was kind of a lie. Reeve was kind of offended; but Kai needed anything but confrontation right now. “You’re living with me now, and I’m not going to just let you starve. I care about you.”

…Kai blinked at Reeve’s blunt confession. Suddenly his anxiety was gone. He felt…calm, like everything was going to be ok, as he gazed into Reeve’s eyes; eyes that were almost smiling.

This feeling, it was the same feeling he felt around Adam and Mira and Vanessa. This feeling of safety; of security.

…And that was the moment Kai considered Reeve someone more than an acquaintance.

“…Thank you.” Kai smiled softly. “You’re a good friend.”


	7. Chapter 6: Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai knocks on Reeve's bedroom door after a bad dream

“…W…what do you mean I can’t go to elementary school anymore?”

A small, red-headed child of 6 clutched onto the bottom of his striped shirt. He gazed despairingly at his mom and dad; their shadows towering him and surrounding him in darkness.

“All those other children are a bad influence on you Kai!” Exclaimed the boy’s dad. Kai’s dad was the peak of masculinity to Kai. Tall and lithe; yet strong with a posh and powerful voice. He never grew a beard out like his butler Davis; it made him look young despite being in his early 40s. He was a tireless man who worked day and night at the hostel company he had birthed the moment his adult life began.

“Indeed! You used to be such a doll but now…now look at you! You’re covered in dirt and filth! We didn’t raise a barn child!” Whined out the boy’s mother. Kai’s mom was a woman of beauty. He inherited most of his appearance from her; the only thing he got from his dad was the red hair and the nose…well, and being a boy. She was always stylishly dressed in the latest trends from the most expensive outfits; which she would show off at the weekly parties she hosted.

Both of them seemed to be such radiant figures.

And here was little Kai; covered head to toe in mud. The new friends in his elementary school dragged him to the damper parts of the playground to stomp around in. He had never had as much fun as he had playfully throwing balls of wet dirt at his classmates.

They shrieked in glee, they giggled in delight, and they had fun; so why were his parents mad at him? Was it because he dirtied his clothes? He would be more careful next time!

“And the muddy clothes aren’t even the central issue!” Added on Kai’s dad, shaking his head and letting out a small tsk. “You are a Parnall! Parnalls don’t run around and screech like barbarians! Parnalls are sophisticated! Smart! Well-mannered!” Kai was gripped by his arm, and dragged away from the front of his elementary school; towards the limo his butler Davis drove. “As long as you’re my son you will not be interacting with these…hooligans! You’re worth more than that!”

Kai tried to escape from his dad’s grasp as best as he could; crying for his friends, who watched from the fenced playground in horror. He wanted to go back to school! There were so many fun things to learn with everyone else! So many adventures to have! So many memories to make!

But he was shoved into the limo next to his mother; who vigorously whipped away his tears. “Don’t you dare shed a single tear.” His mother rebuked with a huff. “You’re a boy. Boys don’t cry.”

He glanced at his father, who sat in the front seat next to Davis. Mom was right. He’s never seen his dad cry.

So he sucked it up. He bit his lip tightly and held in his sobs. He clung onto his mom, who did little to try to comfort her son. She was busy on her phone; texting the next stranger she would bring to her bedroom in secret.

“We will hire the finest tutor for you.” Kai’s father stated resolutely; determination in his cold eyes. “they’ll give you the finest education. Not that it’s hard to beat anything a minimum wage grade school teacher could give you.”

The limo windows suddenly blackened, and the car engine became almost silent. Kai clung on tighter to his mom in fear, and covered his eyes as a black goo seeped from the windows; but he was shoved away by the woman. “Ugh! You’re so clingy! What’s with you?!”

The voice of his mom was distorted and echoed; and out of curiosity Kai uncovered his face. Surrounded by pure darkness, he beheld not his mom but Adam, then Mira, then Vanessa, then Reeve, then Adam again. Each one replaced another by the second in a never-ending loop.

They all glared at him with disgust. With annoyance.

“ _Why can’t you leave me alone! I never even wanted you!_ ”

A gasp

Kai gasped and twitched; as he awoke from his nightmare.

But unlike all his nightmares; he wasn’t greeted with a darkened ceiling of Tyrian purple. It was the warm grey his new bedroom.

Kai slowly lifted himself up. Normally, with nightmares, Kai would be screaming in fear upon escaping the seemingly never-ending torture. It was like that when he dreamed of Mable the chicken.

But when he had nightmares like the one he just had. Nightmares of the past. Nightmares of his parents. Nightmares of his deepest fears. Kai was only left with an aching despair from them.

He curled up into a tight ball, and let out a shaky sigh. His old bedroom was usually perfectly heated to suite his sensitive skin, but his new bedroom was so cold. The thin blankets did little to warm him.

…

…Against Kai’s better judgement he slid down his bed, and cautiously tiptoed out of his bedroom; greeting the small hallway he was beginning to grow familiar with.

He shouldn’t bother Reeve. He really shouldn’t. But he was…god he _just_ had a nightmare that was really hitting him in the insecurities! All he needed was a bit of reassurance! That was all! Then he’ll go back into his room!

…M-man…he was so childish.

He hovered his hand over Reeve’s bedroom doorknob; but then pulled it back. He should knock. Barging into Reeve’s room without warning would be too weird; even though they had officially become friends…well, Kai _thinks_ they did. He’s pretty sure.

He still remembers the look on Reeve’s face when he called them that, a friend, when they stated that they cared about him. It was a look of surprise at first; and then unhindered joy. Kai had never seen Reeve smile like that before. Maybe it was an expression exclusive only to those Reeve considered worthy; like Adam and Mira and Vanessa.

“Yeah. Friends.” Reeve chuckled out; wrapping his arm around Kai’s shoulder and giving them a gentle noogie. Kai was startled by the sudden affection; but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Miles did this to him all the time. It was a familiar display of brohood to Kai.

He giggled with glee at the new development. He couldn’t stop thinking about it afterwards; him and Reeve officially becoming friends. He thought about it when he scraped the last of the pancakes into the trash, and watched Reeve clean the dishes with surprising interest. He thought about it as he retreated into his room for the rest of the day; snacking and playing Mario Kart on his Nintendo switch until it was bedtime.

And he was thinking of it now, as his knuckles came into contact with the door to Reeve’s room. “…R…Reeve?” He called out softly. His anxiety rose with each passing second of silence. He knocked on the door again. “R-Reeve…I’m sorry if you’re asleep but-”

The door clicked up, and there was Reeve; dressed in a black robe. His hair was messy and curling up in different directions.

Kai wondered how long it took Reeve to groom himself up. “H-hey…! U-um…” Kai trailed off, pulling at the sleeves of his yellow dress-shirt.

“…You ok?” Reeve inquired slowly; confused at the situation he was put in this late at night. Kai expected Reeve to be the cranky type when woken up; but Reeve was more or less calm…or maybe Reeve knew something was up with Kai already, and was trying not to snap at him.

Kai couldn’t tell. He didn’t know if the subtle glare Reeve was giving him was frustration or just his normal face of exhaustion.

“I…I…n-no…” Kai admitted; his voice as quiet as a mouse. “I had…I had a nightmare.”

Reeve’s gaze instantly softened. So Reeve _was_ cranky from having been woken up…maybe? “…Oh…uh…” He glanced side to side with a small, concerned frown. “You…need anything?”

“W-well I don’t really _need_ anything!” Kai hurriedly explained; biting his lip in embarrassment and staring intently at the oh-so-interesting floor. Why was he doing this? Maybe he should just go back to his room. “It’s just my room is cold and I’m…k-kind of shaken up so I…just…I just…” Kai glanced up at Reeve; and then lowered his head even further. “…Can I have a hug?” He muttered out in hesitance.

He didn’t dare look up to see Reeve’s reaction. For a while Kai was met with pure silence.

His sweat dripped to the carpet floor, and slowly he backed away; prepared to dash back into the comfort of his room. This was a mistake! He should have just sucked it up and stayed under the covers of his bed! “I-I’m sorry. It’s stupid. I’ll just go back-”

And then Kai was pulled into a warm, soft embrace; an embrace that took Kai a few seconds to fully comprehend.

His face was firmly planted in the crook of Reeve’s neck. Their body smelled of sweat and the faded hint of a vanilla scented cologne Kai had never smelled before; it was comforting.

“Hey, it’s ok.” Reeve whispered in reassurance; close to Kai’s ear. Kai almost shivered; Reeve’s low tone was so pleasing and calming and…he felt really weird; like his body was floating with ease. “It must have been scary, right?” Reeve continued, lifting Kai’s face up to meet his eyes. Eyes of reassurance; devoid of judgement.

The world felt like it froze for a moment. Kai couldn’t stop staring into those eyes; those eyes that somehow made all his worries just…melt and disappear. How could Reeve do that? Was it a result of their telekinesis powers?

“…Kind of? It wasn’t really terrifying it was just…” Kai dug his fingers into Reeve’s robe. “…It was sad…and kind of worrying.” Maybe this was a bit… _too_ intimate? He was pressed up against Reeve’s chest for crying out loud; which was warm and… _mhngh_? _Was this normal_? Does Reeve not realize how weird this probably looks? Were Reeve and Adam this touchy feely with each other?

But it didn’t feel _bad_. It felt… _good_. Gah! Now he was confused! What was he supposed to do?! His parents would _kill_ him if they caught him like this with another guy!

“…Hey, you alright?” Reeve prodded; earning the tiniest squeak from Kai, who shifted around in Reeve’s arms. Reeve glanced downwards, noting that Kai’s hands were barely touching Reeve’s chest; it wasn’t long before he got the picture.

“O-oh um..! I’m sorry!” He jerked himself away from Kai. The hug ended then and there. “Did I make you uncomfortable?” Reeve was so embarrassed. He forgot that him and Kai literally became friends only hours ago. They were in no way on that “Bromance” level as some of his classmates put it when gossiping about him, Adam, and Mira.

“Ye…n…I-I don’t…I uh…It wasn’t…” Kai twirled his fingers around each other; a light blush on his cheeks. Reeve was equally flustered, and the two stared at anything but each other.

…Reeve cleared his throat, gaining the red-head’s attention. “…I uh…I think there’s a sleeping bag in my parent’s closet. You can sleep in my room if you…don’t want to be alone for the night?” Reeve suggested hesitantly.

Kai instantly understood the silent message. “Let’s just pretend this never happened!” He honestly couldn’t agree more. “…T…thanks! I’d like that. Your room feels warmer anyways.”

Reeve let out a strained giggle, and made his way to his parent’s empty bedroom. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’ll pull out the old heater as well. You can plug it in to one of your outlets.”

The awkwardness was still thick in the air, and would remain so for the rest of the night.


End file.
